Relationship between clinical symptoms of anal incontinence and the results of anorectal manometry.

The aim of this work was to analyze clinical symptoms in light of anorectal manometry results. We compared the frequency of clinical symptoms in relation with the presence or absence of functional anomalies. Using this methodology, the following relationships may be suggested: the need to wear a pad, with a decreased resting pressure at the upper part of the anal canal; the inability to delay rectal evacuation, with decreased anal voluntary contraction; interference of incontinence with social activities, with decreased duration of anal voluntary contraction; urinary symptoms, with an increased threshold volume of rectal distention needed to elicit the rectoanal inhibitory reflex; and complete rectal prolapse, with reduced length of the anal canal.